New York, 30 September 2023 (tca/dpa/MIA) — A record-breaking downpour dumped more than 15 centimetres of paralyzing rain across New York City on Friday, snarling travel by land, across the city subways and at major airports.

Both Governor Kathy Hochul and Mayor Eric Adams put New York City under a state of emergency as cars bobbed in floodwaters and basements flooded, with the FDNY rescuing people imperiled by the surging waters as a flash flood warning was in place for Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island.

The governor joined the mayor at a late morning news conference to address the wicked weather, with Adams urging New Yorkers to stay indoors, check in with friends and family and stay off the roads.

“This is something that we cannot take lightly, and we have not taken lightly,” he said. “This is a dangerous weather condition, and it’s not over. If you’re home, stay home. This is a time for caution.”

As of the afternoon, nearly 20 centimetres of rain had fallen at JFK Airport, according to the National Weather Service, making Friday the wettest day since record keeping there began in 1948. The service warned of rain continuing for hours and the threat of ongoing flooding on highways, streets and underpasses. Major havoc was reported in city subways, too.

“The city is bullseye with this band of rain,” said NWS meteorologist Dominic Ramunni.

There were rescues of people trapped by the floodwaters, said FDNY Commissioner Laura Kavanagh. A half-dozen were pulled from flooded basements by the FDNY, with another 15 rescued from trapped vehicles around the city. Adams said there were no reported fatalities before responding to criticism that his administration failed to do enough to alert New Yorkers before the storm.

“If anyone was caught off guard, they must have been living under a rock,” he said on 1010 WINS.

The downpour made this month the second-wettest September ever recorded, the service noted.

New Yorkers citywide awoke to find daunting roadblocks as their morning commutes turned into wet and wild nightmares, with all subway lines in the city shuttered, rerouted or operating with extreme delays as heavy flooding in Brooklyn wreaked havoc across the system.

The deluge flooded 150 city schools. One was forced to evacuate students threatened by the rising waters.

Hochul’s declaration of a state of emergency for the five boroughs, the Hudson Valley and Long Island came with a warning the rain could continue into early Saturday.

“I have directed all state agencies to provide all necessary resources to address this extreme weather event,” she said in a statement. “It is critical that all New Yorkers take all necessary precautions and avoid flooded roads, which are some of the most dangerous places during flash floods.”

New York Senators Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand sent a letter to the Federal Emergency Management Agency asking for a quick response to a possible major disaster assistance request from New York State.

“With so many New Yorkers affected, we urge FEMA to stand ready to participate in a Preliminary Damage Assessment with state and local officials,” the two Democrats wrote.

A state of emergency was also declared Friday across suburban Westchester County due to hazardous conditions.